Method of reclaiming contaminated oils



2 Sheets-Sheet l H. H. MORETON Filed Feb. 2, 1928 Nov. l 7, 1931.

METHOD oF REGLAIMING CONTAMINATED oILs .lllllllllll gfwmm' www Nov. 1 7,1931. H, H MORETON METHOD 0F RECLAIMING CONTAMINATED oILs 2 Sheets-SheetFiled Feb. 2, 1928 m n w Patented Nov. 17, '1931 `UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE HENRY H. MORETON', OF SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR'OFONE-THIRD TO O. B. ENGLISCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ONE-THIRD T0 CHARLES F. CRAIG, OF

METHOD OF RECLAIMING CONTAMINATED OILS Application led Fcbruary, 1928.Serial No. 251,417.

This invention is a method by which crank case oils, as well as othercontaminated oils may be reclaimed and rendered iit for reuse. i

One of the objects of the invention is to provide for an effectiveprecipitation of mechanical impurities which are suspended 1n the oil sothat said impurities may be readily eliminated, said precipitationoccurring either before or after the removal of the gasoline or similarvolatile contents. A further object is to eii'ect the precipitation ofthe mechanical impurities in a manner that will insure a maximumprecipitation of such impurities within a minimum period of time, andwithout the necessity of employing expensive and cumbersome apparatus.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly insection, illustrating a form of apparatus for carrying out theinvention, it being understood however, that the invention is notlimited to this particular apparatus. Figure 2 is a sectional viewillustrating the thermostatcontrol apparatus. Figure 3ds a detail Viewillustrating a form of filter. Figure 4 is a sectional View illustratinga slight modification of the means for removing the sludge.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the main or supply tank inwhich the oil to be treated is initially placed so that it may besupplied to the rest of the `illustrated apparatus in carrying out thesteps of the method. The tank 10 is provided with an outlet pi e 11,leading to a float chamber 12, a cock lyoeing provided to control theoutflow of the oil from said tank to the float chamber. Located withinsaid chamber 12 is a float 14n, which operates a valve l5, controllingthe flow of oil from the float chamber to aheating chamber 16, through apipe 17. Said float chamber is provided with a sediment outlet 18, andalso with a gage glass 19.

The heating chamber consists of a troughin any desired manner, but it ispreferred to @employ one or more electrical heating elements,conventionally illustrated at 19a, supported by the head 20, andextending longitudinally of the casing at a level to be submerged in theoil. Current may be supplied to the ,heater from a suitable source ofelectricity, in any desired or well known manner. vThe trough is open atits top, but in order to carry oii such gasoline or similar volatileconstituents as may be driven off by the heat, a hood 2l is supportedover the trough so as 'to direct said constituents to a flue 22 leadingto asuitable condenser, not shown. The heater element 19a may beconstructed to raise the temperature of the oil to any desired degree,preferably not exceeding 300 degrees Fahrenheit. It has been found inpractice that if the oil is heated to a temperature of approximately 260degrees Fahrenheit, and maintained at that temperature for a short time,the gasoline and other similar volatile content will be fully drivenoii', because the combination of gasoline and the like with the oilappears to be merely a 'mechanical mixture which is readily broken up atthe named temperature.

In order that the iow of the oil through the heating chamber may becontrolled so as to subject it to the desired heating temperature foraperiod long enough to insure separation of the gasoline and the like., athermostatic valve V is provided. Said valve consists of a tube 25 ofbrass or similar metal, mounted in a bushing 26, screwed into `an endwall kof the chamber 16, so as to submerge the tube Within the oilcontained within the chamber. Said tube is provided with perforations 27to permit oil to flow into the tube, and the outer end of the tube isclosed by a cap 28, provided with an outlet opening 29. The flow of oilthrough s aid 0 ning is controlled by means of a rod 30 o other desiredmetal having a different coeilicient'of expansion from that of the tube25, said rod beingsupported at its inner end by the inner end of thetube, as indicated at 3l. It is to be understood that while the oil iscold or below the temperature for which the thermostat is set, theopening 29 is closed by the rod 30 in a manner to prevent the outsteelor fiow of oil from said heating chamber. As soon as the temperature ofthe oil rises to the desired degree, however, the rod is withdrawn fromthe opening 29 and the oil is free to flow therethrough.

The cap 28 has a threaded engagement with the end of tube 25, so that itmay be adjusted with respect to the rod, to vary the range of movementof the rod 30 with respect thereto.

From the heatinr chamber 16 the oil is conducted by means o a pipe 32,connected with opening 29, to a settling chamber 33 into which it isdischarged. While the oil is contained within said chamber a powderedcalcareous cement is mixed with the oil fand the contents of the tankallowed to settle. It is preferred to use finely powdered gypsum forthis purpose because this material is more easily handled and appears tohave a very strong affinity for carbon particles and other mechanicalimpurities suspended in the oil, but other calcareous cements such asPortland cement and natural cement, for instance, possess to some degreethis same eculiar attraction for the carbon particles. n practice, ithas been found that if the oil is subjected to a treatment of from fivepercent to ten percent finely divided gypsum de.- posited therein, thegypsum will sink to the bottom of the container and carry with it thesuspended mechanical impurities, within twenty four hours when cold, andmuch quicker if the oil is heated. The process of separation may begreatly facilitated by first treating the oil with about two percent ofconcentrated sulphuric acid, and allowing it to settle until a residuumis formed and settles out, and then introducing the gypsum. The use of asm'all amount of acid causes the gypsum to settle in about one fourththe time that is required when no acid is used. If desired to remove allpossible trace of the sulphuric acid, the oil may be washed with wateror treated with a small amount of sulbe drawn from the phate of soda.

After the impurities have been settled out by use of the gypsumtreatment, the oil may tank 33 and subjected to a mechanical filteringprocess, after which it is ready for -any use for which it wasoriginally capable of being employed.

The filtering operation is greatly facilitated by raising thetemperature of the oil, and for this purpose, the tank 33 is providedwith an outlet pipe 34, controlled by a cock 35, and discharging into asecond heating chamber 36, containing a heater element similar to theelement 19a of chamber 16. The heating chamber 36 is provided with anoutlet pipe37, discharging 1nto a float chamber 38, in which is locateda float 39, controlling a cut-out switch 40. Said switch in turncontrols the circuit to an electric motor 41, which operates a pump 42,having its supply pipe connected with the fioat chamber and itsdischarge pipe connected with a filter press conventionally illustratedat 43. It is to be understood that the filter press is referred tomerely for illustrative purposes, and that any other method of filteringthat may be found desirable, may be employed. The tank 33 and the floatchamber 38 are provided with sludge outlets 44 and 45, respectively.

In operation, the oil to be treated is introduced into the tank 10 andis allowed to flow therefrom into the heating chamber 16, the speed offiow beingcontrolled by the float valve 15. Then the oil in the heatingchamber 16 has reached the desired level the circuit to the heaterelement 19a is closed, the flow of oil to said heating chamber beingarrested by the float valve until the thermostatic valve 30 is operatedto permit discharge of oil through the opening 29. During the heatingperiod the volatile diluents pass upwardly into the iiue 22. The oilflows from the heating chamber 16 into the settling chamber 33, and whensaid chamber has been filled with oil to the desired extent it issubjected to the gypsum treatment above described. By gypsum treat-mentit is to be understood is meant the employment of a calcareous cementsuch as gypsum, Portland cement, natural cement, or similar cementshaving an affinity for the suspended particles, either with or withoutthe use of sulphuric acid. If desired to use sulphuric acid, it may beintroduced into the oil in tank 10 or chamber 33, as desired. After thegypsum treatment the cock 35 is opened and the oil is permitted to flowinto the second heating chamber 36, and from thence into the floatchamber 38. As soon as said float chamber is filled to the desiredextent the fioat will have risen suiciently to close the circuit to themotor 4l, by means of the switch 40, and thereupon the oil will beforced by the pump 42 through the lter press in a well understoodmanner. It is to be understood, of course, that in lieu of employing thefilter press, a filter bag may be connected to pipe 37 as illustrated inFigure 3. If desired the removal of the volatile constituents may bepostponed until after the gypsum treatment, or even after the filteringoperation,`but it is preferred to perform this step at the outset.

After the settling operation, the sludge may be removed from the tank 33through the outlet 44, or if desired said tank may be provided with asludge basket 50, as illustrated in Figure 4. Said basket rests upon thebottom of the tank and is provided with handles 51 by means of which itmay be manipulated.

The advantages of the invention will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the' art to which it belongs. For instance, an importantadvantage is that contaminated oils, such as used crank case oil forinstance, may be so purified in a very short space of time,

that it is capable of reuse in any capacity for which it was originallyintended.

A very important advantage is that the process above described is anexceedingly simple one, capable of being economically carried out,because it avoids the use of highly expensive cumbersome apparatus.

No claim for the apparatus is made herein because said apparatus is madethe subject of a separate concurrently filed application, Serial No.251,416.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described-anoperative manner of practicing the same, although without attempting toset forth all of the forms of its use, what is claimed is l. A method ofreclaiming contaminated oils comprising introducinvr into the oil arelatively small quantity o `sulphuric acid, then precipitating theimpurities mechanically suspended in the acidulated oil by introducinggypsum thereinto, allowing the mixture to stand until the impuritiessettle, and finally draining off the oil.

A method of reclaiming contaminated oils comprising first raising thetemperature of the oil to drive off the vola-tile diluents,

,. then introducing into the oil a relatively small quantity ofsulphuric acid, then precipitating the impurities mechanically suspended in the acidulated oil by introducing gypsum thereinto, allowingthe mlxture tostand until the impurities settle, and finally drainingoff the oil.

3. A method of reclaimingcontaminated oils comprising first removinggasoline and other similar volatile constituents from the oil, nextintroducing into the oil a relatively small quantity of sulphuric acid,then precipitating the impurities mechanically suspended in theacidulated oil by introducing gypsum thereinto, allowing the mixture tostand until the impurities settle, and nally draining off the oil.

4. A method of reclaiming contaminated oils comprising first raising thetemperature of the oil to drive ofi' the volatile diluents, thenintroducing into the oil a relatively small quantity of sulphuric acid,then precipitating the impurities mechanically suspended in theacidulated oil by introducing oils comprising first treating the oil toremove gasoline and other similar volatile diluents, then introducinginto the oil a calcareous cement having an afiinit for the irnpuritiesmechanically suspended7 therein, allowing said cement to settle to thebottom of the oil so that it will carry with it the attrictedimpurities, and then draining off the o1 7. A method of reclaimingcontaminated oils comprising introducing into the oil a calcareouscement having an affinity for the impurities mechanically suspendedtherein, allowing said cement to settle to the bottom of the oil so thatit will carry with it the attracted impurities, and finally filterin theoil from which said impurities have en precipitated.

8. A method of reclaiming contaminated oils comprising first treatingthe oil to remove gasoline and other similar volatile diluents, thenintroducing into the oil a calcareous cement having an affinity for theimpurities mechanically suspended therein, allowing said cement tosettle to the bottom of the oil so that it will attract and carry saidimpurities with it, and finally again heating the oil and filtering it.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY H. MORETON.

gypsum thereinto, allowing the mixture to stand until the impuritiessettle, and finally filtering the oil from which said impurities havebeenv precipitated.

5. A method of reclaiming contaminated y oils comprising raising thetemperature of the oil to drive ofl" the volatile diluents, thenintroducing into the oil a calcareous cement having an affinity for theimpurities mechanically suspended therein, allowing said cement tosettle to the bottom of the oil so that it will carry with it theattracted impurities, and iinally'draining off the oil.

6. A method of reclaiming contaminated

